High Peak charity, The Zink Project, has set up a partnership of local employers offering vacancies to unemployed young people as part of the government’s kickstart scheme.  

Kickstart provides paid work placements for young people who have been adversely affected by the pandemic and lockdown. It aims to give them a start in their career through work experience in different sectors.  

The Zink Project works in the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales to support families facing poverty and hardship. It runs employment programmes, High Peak Foodbank, an advice service and will be expanding in new premises later this year. Zink set up the partnership to help unemployed young people get a good start in their career and to enable local small businesses to get involved.  

Paul Bohan, CEO at Zink, explained, “Kickstart seemed the ideal opportunity to help people into work whilst also supporting local businesses. It was a rigorous process, but in the end we have over 50 jobs available from a wide variety of employers ranging from farm work to computer games design, sports coach to chef. These are really exciting opportunities from some enthusiastic employers!” 

People age 18-24 who are claiming Universal Credit can apply for the vacancies through their jobcentre work coach. Each placement lasts six months and there is support available to help to transfer into mainstream work. They are paid at least minimum pay rates. 

Individual vacancies will be advertised on High Peak Foodbank’s Facebook page over the coming weeks. For more information about Zink’s plans for expansions visit www.localgiving.org/appeal/Zinkhub/